Drafts, Threadnote and Corrections

So… Turns out…

I’m not good at admitting I’m wrong, so I’m just going to come out with it. I was wrong about Quick Entry applications like Drafts and Pop.

While I didn’t (and still don’t) have a problem with the execution of the apps, I was worried about putting the capture of text ahead of whatever my intention was for said text. In my own workflows, I like to try and make determinations about where something belongs and get to that application. A place for everything and everything in it’s place, if you will… While slower than opening a quick capture app, it keeps me from having one disorganized and overflowing “inbox”. Posts go in one place, tasks in another, reference materials, yet another.

Why I was wrong…

While Drafts has the potential to become that, I’ve realized that it is not the intent of the app. In hindsight, I see they it is made to quickly create text and properly file it in the right application. It’s ideal for brain dumps. Write a task for OmniFocus, fire it off. Start a draft for Simplenote, fire it off. Create a note for Evernote, fire it off. Craft a Tweet… well, you get the gist. And you can do it all from a single consistent application. While it’s still not quite for me, I do see how it is useful.

Speaking of quick capture apps…

I’m also intrigued by newcomer, Threadnote. For the sake of disclosure, I was given a free copy to evaluate, but I’m only talking about it because I was damn impressed for a 1.0 release. I’ve also had a bit of back and forth with one of the two developers and they seem very dedicated to making this a meaningful application. While it’s not quite as focused on the “quick capture” part and doesn’t have all of the features when compared to competitor Draft, it’s very interesting. It’s especially interesting for Twitter users who are interested in the idea of capture, but have struggled with implementing it into their everyday lives.

It’s like Twitter for one…

It mimics the functionality of Twitter, but is intended only to be used for yourself. While my podcast co-host posted a spoof about the idea of “Solo, The Social Network That’s Just For You“, it turned out to be a pretty darn good idea in execution. By combining all @Replies and hashtags from Twitter with search, Threadnote lets you sort through your notes with ease. You can even use geolocation, which can come in handy for things like remembering all my favorite beers and where to buy them.

Here how that works…

Your @Replies auto populate from your phone’s address book or can be added manually. You are offered a list of suggested hashtags when you first launch the application or you can add your own. The app remembers the @replies and hashtags and helps autocomplete as you write. You can also manually add in the geolocation on a note-to-note basis. All three points of data (along with search) create a search experience that blows away any of the apps I’ve tried. This alone is a killer feature, especially when you consider the kinds of naming conventions some of us use to ease the pain of searching through our note apps.

But, it’s still new…

Where Threadnote is weak is in taking advantage of the text you’ve written. In the current version you actually have to save and exit the note and re-enter back into it before you can send it to an application like OmniFocus or to a service like Twitter. It also doesn’t offer a fast way to eliminate the notes I use in other applications like Draft does, so there is the extra step of manually deleting those notes.

Do we really need another app?

There’s little doubt that there are too many apps, there’s even less doubt that there are too many capture and quick capture apps, but Threadnote has the potential to help many everyday users get started. And if they keep at it, I think they have the potential to wow some of us geeks as well. And much as I hate to admit that I was wrong, I’m finding that there is a very real need and place for applications like Drafts and Pop. Who woulda thunk it? Oh yeah, absolutelyeveryonewhoseopinion I trust on this kind of stuff…

If you are looking for a way to bring idea capture into your life, but are overwhelmed by note taking applications like Simplenote and Notesy, give Threadnote a shot. And if for some crazy reason you took my advice on Drafts and Pop, you might want to give them another look as well.

[…] Threadnote: Another entry into the “quick capture” arena, Lifehack contributor Michael Schechter has described it as follows: “(Threadnote) mimics the functionality of Twitter, but is intended only to be used for yourself.” (You can read more of his thoughts on the app here. […]

[…] Threadnote: Another entry into the “quick capture” arena, Lifehack contributor Michael Schechter has described it as follows: “(Threadnote) mimics the functionality of Twitter, but is intended only to be used for yourself.” (You can read more of his thoughts on the app here. […]

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Hi, I'm Michael Schechter. I struggle with creativity and productivity (Read: I have ADHD). I tend to write about how we can improve at both pursuits through the use of technology. More often than not, I end up rambling on about how all kinds of Apple geekery are helping me get my life together...

I also steal and share your best ideas and quotes on my Tumblr blog, Smarter Than I Am.